For 2009, the following changes have been made to the definition of a qualifying child.

• To be your qualifying child, the child must be younger than you.
• A child cannot be your qualifying child if he or she files a joint return, unless the return was filed only as a claim for refund.
• If the parents of a child can claim the child as a qualifying child but no parent so claims the child, no one else can claim the child as a qualifying child unless that person's AGI is higher than the highest AGI of any parent of the child.
• Your child is a qualifying child for purposes of the child tax credit only if you can and do claim an exemption for him or her.